It’s been a long time since Pink Fairies fans had this much to be excited about. A new album, Covered In Pink, is released today and, on March 21, the band will be making a super-rare live appearance at Kick Butt Coffee, on Airport Boulevard in Austin, Texas.
With a line-up featuring current Fairy Alan Davey, plus guests including sci-fi legend Michael Moorcock and Headcat’s Danny B Harvey, the band promises a set full of favorites and surprises.
Davey, of course, has been a Pink Fairy since the band’s return in 2017; and before that, he was a mainstay in Hawkwind – perhaps the one band that could ever match the Fairies for adrenalin-driven underground lost in space rock’n’roll, and proved it with dozens of shared bills throughout the early 1970s.
Moorcock, meanwhile, can trace his involvement in the Pinkwind axis back to the earliest days, when he frequently depped for Hawks frontman Robert Calvert… he was also responsible for several of Hawkwind’s best-loved numbers, including “Sonic Attack,” “Kings of Speed” and “The Wizard Blew His Horn.”
And Harvey’s Headcat co-starred another Hawks legend, the late, great Lemmy – the man whose bass playing drew Alan Davey to the instrument in the first place, and lives on in Ace of Spades, the Motörhead tribute band that Davey launched back in 1999.
Also on the bill for this historic occasion, Davey’s own band Hawkestrel – trans-dimensional auralnauts of the past, present and future, with their own fearless re-envisioning of Hawkwind classics.
Covered In Pink itself is a ferocious assault upon both the Fairies own family tree, and the world that revolved around them when the band was at its excoriating peak.
And still there’s more, as Cleopatra’s Pirate Radio Cleopatra Podcast sits down with Davey’s fellow Fairy, band co-founder Paul Rudolph, for an 80 minute journey back through the Fairies past and present, while delving, too, into his time with Hawkwind, Eno and Robert Calvert, his thoughts on Motörhead, Moorcock, Melanie and more. Plus music from across the years. Catch it on YouTube, Mixcloud and your favorite podcast platform.
Finally, look out for the latest edition of Cleopatra’s official newsletter Breaking Down Barriers, coming later this month. Because… you guessed it! There’s even more Fairies in there!!!!
While still possessed by a cinematic vision, Unverkalt are throwing back the velvet curtain in favor of the veil. On their upcoming third album and first since signing with Season of Mist, the post-metal luminaries plunge into the darkness that awaits us all. Héréditaire now stands as their heaviest and most heartfelt offering.
“…gothy, doomy, ethereal”, Brooklyn Vegan wrote in describing the album’s lead single “Die Auslöschung”.
Today, Unverkalt are releasing the second advanced single from Héréditaire. While it sets fire to the myth of man’s creation, “Oath Ov Prometheus” is ignited by the band’s newly blackened spark.
“This song reflects on the illusion of greatness, how humanity crowns itself as a god to preserve its place at any cost”, Unverkalt says. “Not all who swear, serve the light. Some carry fire only to burn”.
Héréditaire comes out February 27, 2026 on Season of Mist.
Vocalist Dimitra Kalavrezou remains one of Unverkalt’s unmistakable traits. Her clean singing twists above the band’s fiery new single with all the mystifying beauty of a phoenix from the ashes. But as the first song written for Héréditaire, “Oath Ov Prometheus” reveals a haunting new depth to her voice.
“I encouraged her every day to go further with her vocals.”, Unverkalt’s guitarist and primary composer Themis Ioannou says with an appreciative smile. “But the progression of our music came naturally. We love to experiment with every album. With Héréditaire, we wanted to introduce extreme vocals because they bring out all these heavy feelings. It’s like they’re shaking you awake”.
Héréditaire is a pulse-pounding new direction for Unverkalt. Stoked by blast beats, smoky post-metal atmosphere and headbanging doom, “Oath Ov Prometheus” rages with righteous fury. Where the band’s previous two studio ventures took cues from French painting and European film noir, their upcoming album traces back to mankind’s deepest and darkest origins. With each blackened scream, its new single dismantles the myth of god’s perfect creation.
“‘Oath Ov Prometheus” speaks of the moral collapse of a future set ablaze in a world intoxicated by power”, Kalavrezou says, “where control is placed above all else, no matter the cost”.
“I enjoy discovering new, unique and compelling music in today’s overwhelming world of information, and I believe I truly succeeded with Unverkalt”, says Season of Mist labelmate and Rotting Christ frontman Sakis Tolis, who’s featured on the monolithic “I, The Deceit” from Héréditaire. “This is an exceptional piece of art, worth every minute of listening”.
The video for “Oath Ov Prometheus”was produced by Unverkalt and directed by Themis Ioannou at RAWBITE Studio.
Additional video credits:
Cinematography & Editing – Themis Ioannou Camera Equipment Support – Marcus Sander 2nd Camera Operator – Dirk Phillip Struck Photography – Heiko Kaminsky Location & PA Coordination – Dirk Woßler On-Set Support – Frank von Mersewsky Lighting – Hariolf “Harri” Lemke Prop Styling & Movement Direction – Eli Mavrychev Costume Design / Styling – Featuring pieces by Norma Kamali, WILLA & Disturbia
Tracklist: 1. Die Auslöschung (6:06) [WATCH] 2. Oath Ov Prometheus (5:40) [WATCH] 3. Ænæ Lithi (5:34) 4. A Lullaby for the Descent (5:11) 5. Penumbrian Lament (6:02) 6. Introjects (5:25) 7. I, The Deceit (feat. Sakis Tolis) (5:47) 8. Death is Forever (4:50) 9. Maladie de l’Esprit (5:34) Full runtime: 50:11
UNVERKALT are drawn to the edge. Since emerging from the underground, the Germany by way of Greece post-metal band have balanced boundless atmosphere with suffocating heaviness. Their third album and first since signing with Season of Mist doesn’t continue in that direction so much as it plunges into the darkness that’s always been waiting below. Héréditaire lifts the veil from our cursed existence. What emerges is Unverkalt’s heaviest and most heartfelt offering.
“Our aim has always been to blend softer, more romantic elements with extreme chaos. With Héréditaire that time has now come”, says the band’s guitarist and chief composer Themis Ioannou. “This album is a lament for what is far older than our very existence. It speaks of what seeps through generations, searching for an answer to one pervasive question: What do we carry that was never ours?”
From the beginning, Unverkalt was born from an urge to give life to grief. In 2017, Ioannou started the band with vocalist Dimitra Kalavrezou in hopes of creating something that was slow-burning and visceral, crushing yet delicate. Their debut made good on that promise: “…so rivetingly beautiful that you will have to deepen to digest it”, Metal Hammer Greece wrote in awe of L’Origine du Monde. “Easily on the top-10 of 2020”.
The band’s second album followed three years later to further acclaim. While swooning between obsession and annihilation, A Lump of Death: A Chaos of Dead Lovers sharpened Unverkalt’s vision by pushing their avant-garde streak with more force. “Beyond being able to point roughly towards a couple of different genres, it is utterly impossible to compare them to any other artist out there making music in the same vein”, The Sleeping Shaman admired. Echoes and Dust agreed: “It stands in its own right as a beautiful slice of filmic post-rock, a soundtrack without a movie beyond the one playing in your head”.
Héréditaire is still possessed by cinematic visions. Like a camera coming into focus, lead single “Die Auslöschung” appears through a thickening haze before it’s snapped out of a trance by drummer Christian Eggers’ fiery blast beats. The album shifts between colors, textures, even languages. Stirred by a mournful saw of strings, “Ænae Lithi” raises memories of the Great Fire of Smyrna that were handed down by Themis’ grandmother. But where previous albums took cues from French painting and European film noir, this one throws back the velvet curtain in favor a veil. “Oath Ov Prometheus” dismantles the myth of man as god’s perfect creation with Kalavrezou’s freshly blackened vocals.
“We love to experiment with every album”, Ioannou says. “With Héréditaire, we wanted to introduce extreme vocals because they bring out all these heavy feelings. It’s like they’re shaking you awake”.
While Héréditaire is a pulse-pounding new direction for Unverkalt, the album’s arc traces back to our deepest and darkest origins. Amidst the tremolo-picked wreckage of “Penumbrian Lament”, long-held beliefs are swallowed into the void of guitarist Eli Mavrychev’s death growls. “It’s all sorts of dead ideas / They cling to us all the same”, Kalavrezou whispers, only to break into screams on “Introjects” beneath Joscha Hoyer’s throbbing bass line. “The concept behind the record is tied in with the album’s overall heaviness”, she says. “Each song peels back another blackened layer of memory, trauma and suffering, which linger over us like ghosts: invisible, yet endlessly present”.
Kalavrezou’s mystifying cleans remain one of Unverkalt’s defining traits. Even when trembling beneath the monolithic riff of “I, The Deceit”, her contempt for those who stand by as the world burns is heated when forged alongside her Athenian brother-in-arms Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ. But as the album draws to a close, Héréditaire ends shadowed in doubt for the future. “Bathed in lies / Can we make it better” she wonders before disappearing into the shivering wake left by “Maladie de ‘Esprit”.
“This album is not meant to resolve”, the band says, “but to dissolve patterns from those who came before, faceless yet familiar. The colors have drained. What remains is veiled in black, not as a symbol, but as a truth that covers everything”.
On Héréditaire, Unverkalt lift the veil on our cursed existence with their heaviest and most heartfelt offering.
Guest Musicians: Sakis Tolis — Vocals on “I, The Deceit”
Songwriting Credits: Comped by Themis Ioannou. Lyrics by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Eli Mavrychev. Lyrics for “I, The Deceit” by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Joscha Hoyer.
Recording Credits: Recorded & Engineered by Unverkalt. Drums Recorded & Engineered by Christian Eggers at Noir Surge Sound, Berlin, Germany.
Production Credits: Produced by Themis Ioannou. Vocals produced by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Eli Mavrychev. Mixed by Joshua Barber. Mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD Studios, Lübeck, Germany.
Chez Kane proudly unveils her new single and accompanying visualizer, “Night Of Passion”, ahead of the release of her new album, titled “Reckless”, out on March 27, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Chez commented: “I’m so excited for you to hear my new single “Night Of Passion”. It’s got that late-night, reckless energy. Turn it up and feel the heat!”
Talking about the record, Chez said: “Finally, I can tell you! The official announcement of my third album “Reckless” is here! My last album, “Powerzone” dropped in 2022, and I’ve grown a lot since then. This time around, I got hands-on and collaborated on some writing. I pushed myself hard to make something that’s bigger, bolder, and yeah… sexy as hell”.
“Massive thank you to Danny Rexon once again for being incredible to work with. Creating this with you was magic”, she added. “I can’t wait for you guys to hear what we’ve made!”
Chez Kane is back with her third studio album, “Reckless” – an explosive blend of arena-ready hooks, slick guitar work, and unapologetic 80s-style swagger. Following the success of her first two records, Chez levels up with a collection that’s bigger in sound, richer in emotion, and packed with pure melodic firepower.
Once again, written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman of Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx, “Reckless” channels the golden age of melodic rock while injecting it with fresh energy and modern production.
The chemistry between Chez and Danny continues to shine, resulting in a record that blends 80s-inspired anthems, infectious hooks, and soaring vocals into a modern rock statement with attitude.
From glam-infused bangers to emotional slow-burners, “Reckless” showcases Chez’s growing confidence and undeniable charisma, proving she’s not just riding the revival wave – she’s leading it.
If you’re craving fist-pumping choruses, soaring vocals, and a no-holds-barred throwback to the glory days of rock, look no further. Chez Kane’s “Reckless” is melodic rock done right – bold, catchy, and undeniably alive.
Turn it up loud. This one’s recklessly unforgettable!
“Reckless” Tracklist:
1. Reckless 2. Personal Rock N’ Roll 3. Night Of Passion 4. Strip Me Down 5. Tongue Of Love 6. Love Tornado 7. Bad Girl 8. Street Survivor 9. Too Dangerous 10. Bodyrock
Heavy metal phenomenon Thunder Rising returns with the official video for “Mad Machine,” a standout track from their latest album Horizon Line, available now via Wormholedeath.
“Mad Machine” is a masterclass in riff-driven intensity. The track opens with a commanding riff that serves as the engine behind the entire composition, a relentless force completed in just two bars, immediately establishing the song’s complete narrative. Thunder Rising wastes no time setting the tone for what becomes an unforgettable sonic journey.
The song takes an unexpected turn in its central section, paying homage to psychedelic sound and culture with dreamlike atmospheres and otherworldly tones reminiscent of the Theremin. This bold shift showcases the band’s willingness to push boundaries while maintaining their signature heavy sound.
In the final act, Thunder Rising doubles down on their technical prowess, condensing the riffing even further into a single-bar phrase—a testament to the band’s musical precision and creative ambition.
Thematically, “Mad Machine” is an exhilarating celebration of nightlife and excess: the rush of loud music, the thrill of the open road, and the electric energy of unforgettable nights with friends. The titular “mad machine” represents both the literal vehicle and the metaphorical high of these experiences, building toward an explosive expression of romantic desire.
Defining the “Real Vintage” Sound
Thunder Rising, featuring veterans of the late ’70s and ’80s Italian rock scene (Firehouse and Arachnes), has meticulously defined their signature “Real Vintage” sound. This unique approach is a masterful blend of modern recording clarity and classic rock heritage, built upon decades of experience.
The album Horizon Line channels the deep, riff-driven energy reminiscent of heavy-hitters like Deep Purple and Rainbow, while embracing the soaring melodic sensibilities of AOR giants such as Journey and Boston.
The band’s commitment to authenticity is reflected in their choice of equipment: classic Hammond organs, Fender guitars, and Marshall amps are utilized alongside modern instruments and sharp recording techniques. The result is an audio experience that is both powerfully vintage and crystal clear. Horizon Line is defined by solid song structures, impressive guitar virtuosity, and standout vocals, taking listeners on an emotional journey—a metaphorical road trip through music and memory.
Previous Thunder Rising Videos: Master of Destiny: Watch, Dreaming song to you: Watch, The Prisoner: Watch
Modern metalcore band HUMANKIND return with their most vulnerable and confronting release to date. Their new video single “Desire To Die” is out now through ROAR – A Division Of Reigning Phoenix Music, and dives deep into the emotional spaces many struggle to talk about: exhaustion, resignation, and the quiet moments where simply letting go can feel easier than continuing to fight.
Following their recent releases, HUMANKIND push their sound and message further into raw, unfiltered territory. “Desire To Die” balances crushing heaviness with fragile atmosphere, creating a song that feels both overwhelming and painfully intimate. The accompanying video features a performance-driven setup, highlighting the band’s dynamic presence and reinforcing the intensity of the song through a direct visual approach.
“Desire to Die is a hymn for everyone who has had to endure unimaginable struggles, disappointments, and failures. At times, our lives feel like a vast ocean in which we fight just to stay afloat. The urge to stop resisting and simply go with the flow can become so strong that we might come to terms with the risk of drowning, a feeling rarely spoken about in our society. Desire to Die aims to break the silence and raise awareness of the fact that, for some, drowning can sometimes feel more acceptable than facing wave after wave after wave. We see it as a starting point from which we can begin to destigmatise this topic, in the hope that speaking about it will help us heal and overcome dark times together.”
Musically, the track captures HUMANKIND at their most intense and honest. Dense guitars, haunting melodies, and an ever-present sense of pressure mirror the emotional weight of the lyrics, making “Desire To Die” less a song for easy consumption and more an invitation to listen, reflect, and feel.
With this release, HUMANKIND continue to establish themselves as a band unafraid to confront uncomfortable truths. “Desire To Die” is not about glorifying despair, but about giving a voice to thoughts that often remain hidden, and opening a conversation that many desperately need.
HumanKind is: Samuel Scholz (Vocals) Maria Kimberly Huehn (Guitar) Simon Keil (Guitar) Dominik “Doemsen” Stotzem (Bass) Silas Schué (Drums)
JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS let the strings buzz until they’re glowing red hot on the third advancetrack ‘Seer‘ from their forthcoming new full-length “Inexorable Opposites“. The fourth album by the Australian Psychedelic Western Rockers has been chalked up for release on February 6, 2026 via Magnetic Eye Records.
JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS comment on ‘Seer’: “This track is a good example of the new direction that we are heading towards in terms of writing music“, vocalist and guitarist Tim Coutts-Smith explains. “Most of this song was written by our guitarist JD whilst I arranged the structure and wrote the lyrics. The story is set in the conventional Harlon universe and is a follow-up to the song ‘Painter in the Woods’ from our second album.“
Tracklist
Moss
Venomous
Mt. Macedon
Dave Is Done
Junior Fiction
Seer
On the Overwhelm
To Die
With their fourth album “Inexorable Opposites”, JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS deliver a doozy of a record. The Psychedelic Western Rockers from Down Under have taken a big leap that was made possible by breaking new ground.
It pays off that the Australians have dared to take numerous creative risks, of which several stand out:
First off, “Inexorable Opposites” introduces new drum powerhouse Brayden Becher, who has literally given the band an extra kick. This was amplified by employing Lewis Noke-Edwards as a third party engineer for the tracking of the drums, a first for JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS, having done their recording in DIY fashion on past albums. While the creative process was generally more collaborative than for previous releases, the album also comes with an extended range as it includes both the ‘heaviest’ and ‘gentlest’ songs the band have ever recorded.
Probably as important as the musical tweaks is the new direction that the lyrics take on “Inexorable Opposites”. While there are still new tales playing out in the universe of the eponymous science fiction Western character Jack Harlon, the themes of the new songs rather revolve around the real world. Vocalist Tim Coutts-Smith was inspired by experiences both personal and from recent years as well as being influenced by his work in mental health.
This is summed up by the album’s title “Inexorable Opposites” that summarises the frequently contrasting emotional and lyrical content by drawing attention to a most inspirational quote from “Man and His Symbols” (1964), the final work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung: “The sad truth is that man’s real life consists of a complex of inexorable opposites – day and night, birth and death, happiness and misery, good and evil. We are not even sure that one will prevail against the other, that good will overcome evil, or joy will defeat pain. Life is a battleground. It always has been and always will be; and if it were not so, existence would come to an end.”
Although the Outback is too far away to constitute a direct influence on JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS, their atmospheric dark Western sound draws a connecting line from Australia to Arizona. It is part of a uniquely eclectic style that explores a wide range of genres and incorporates elements of blues, stoner rock, lo-fi fuzz, spaghetti western scores, and doom metal among others.
JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS first incarnated as a side project of singer Tim Coutts-Smith around the year 2015. Over time, his steadily growing band developed into a full-fledged performing act.
From day one, Coutts-Smith centered his lyrics and themes around a fictional Western outlaw named Jack Harlon. He would often begin writing about real people and events, before turning them into characters and stories in a science fiction themed Western landscape.
JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS are also known for their DIY approach, producing most of their albums and visual art internally. As a live act, the band has mostly toured and performed in Australia including sharing stages with international acts such as GREENLEAF, SASQUATCH, WO FAT, and WHORES.
So far, JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS have released a self-titled debut EP in 2016, followed by three critically acclaimed albums and continuously growing recognition within the heavy underground: “Hymns” (2018), “The Magnetic Ridge” (2021), and “Hail to the Underground: Interpretations” (2023). The band also appeared on Magnetic Eye Records’ “Superunknown Redux” tribute to Soundgarden with their fuzzed-out, hallucinatory rendition of deep cut ‘Kickstand’.
JACK HARLON & THE DEAD CROWS deliver a beautifully matured and musically experienced version of their characteristic sound on the fourth album “Inexorable Opposites”. With adult lyrics that take their listeners seriously in a contemplation about the duality of life and the frequent contradictions of the self with the external world, the Australians show their growth as songwriters and musicians without losing the connection to the titanic fuzz and heavy riffs that helped put them on the map.
Line-up Tim Coutts-Smith – vocals, guitar Jordan Richardson – guitar Brayden Becher – drums Liam Barry – bass
Drum recording by Lewis Noke-Edwards at Black Lodge Studios, Brunswick, Melbourne (AU) All other instruments engineered by Tim Coutts-Smith & Jordan Richardson at their home studios, Melbourne (AU) Mixed by Tim Coutts-Smith at his home studio, Melbourne (AU) Mastered by Tim Coutts-Smith at his home studio, Melbourne (AU)
Artwork by Baroquegothik Layout by Karl Stehn (KDS Designs) & Łukasz Jaszak
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 